80 per cent polling recorded by 5pm - BJP lauds EC for the peaceful voting; TMC complains

Turnout high on first day, voting machines replaced in some areas after malfunctioning reports

A voter being given hand sanitiser drops at a polling booth in Bankura’s Chhatna on Saturday.

Rupesh Khan

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Meghdeep Bhattacharyya, Pranesh Sarkar   |   TT   |   Calcutta   |   28.03.21 : A role reversal of sorts marked the first of the Bengal election’s eight phases, with the ruling Trinamul lodging several complaints of muscle-flexing by the BJP and the BJP congratulating the Election Commission for the peaceful voting.

Barring stray violence, polling was largely peaceful in the 30 Assembly seats in five western districts that voted on Saturday, with the high turnouts becoming a talking point within political and administrative circles.

“By 5pm, almost 80 per cent polling had been recorded. With the polling due to end at 6.30pm, the figure is likely to cross 85 per cent,” an official said.

Although 80-84 per cent turnouts are not uncommon in Bengal’s western districts, officials feel even a two to three per cent hike above that range could turn into a deciding factor in this year’s Bengal election.

Women wait to cast their votes in Bankura on Saturday.:Rupesh Khan

Complaints of malfunctioning electronic voting machines came from Contai South in East Midnapore and Kharagpur in West Midnapore. The voting machines were replaced and polling restarted in these areas.

“We have acted on all specific complaints. In about six booths, the voting machines or the VVPATs (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) were changed on account of technical glitches. No complaint of electoral malpractice was found true,” a poll panel source said.

The violence included an alleged attack on Sushanta Ghosh, CPM candidate from Salboni in West Midnapore, and the ransacking of a car belonging to Trinamul turncoat Soumendu Adhikari, brother of fellow Trinamul turncoat and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, in Contai South, East Midnapore. Soumendu was not inside the car.

There was overnight trouble between BJP and Trinamul supporters in Bhagbanpur, East Midnapore.

“The ECI (Election Commission of India) has taken appropriate steps on all these incidents. Overall, the polling was peaceful, especially compared with previous elections in the state,” a senior police officer said.

Saturday’s polling involved 10,288 booths, with more than 73 lakh registered voters, spread across the districts of Purulia, Jhargram, Bankura, West Midnapore and East Midnapore.

Some 730 companies of the central forces guarded the booths and sought to maintain order within 100 metres of the booth premises.

Many of Trinamul’s complaints related to its polling agents being allegedly driven away by BJP cadres in the two Midnapores and Purulia.

The ruling party also accused the BJP of preventing voters from going to the booths in Keshiari, West Midnapore, and some other places.

It further alleged that the central forces had tried to influence voters to back the BJP in several Assembly constituencies in Jhargram and West Midnapore.

Around 2pm, the BJP congratulated the commission.

“We have come to congratulate the ECI as 90 per cent people could cast their votes without any major problem,” the BJP’s Bengal minder, Kailash Vijayvargiya, said after meeting Bengal chief electoral officer Aariz Aftab.

“We have also requested the ECI to arrest some noted criminals backed by Trinamul before the next phases to ensure that people can exercise their democratic right without any problems.”

Mamata decision

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she would be camping in Nandigram, from where she is contesting this year’s election against Suvendu, to see how the BJP can flex its muscle there before Thursday’s vote.

Sources said Mamata had decided to set up base in Nandigram till polling day to try and boost the morale of her party workers and colleagues.

“The BJP has been creating trouble in the area by getting musclemen from outside,” a Trinamul politician working on Mamata’s campaign in Nandigram said.

“Some villagers had to gherao Nandigram police station to pressure the administration, which has so far remained inert despite several complaints being lodged. The chief minister’s presence will definitely help.”